


Adoption

by shocked_into_shame



Series: The Adventures of Billy, Steve, & Lars [4]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Backstory, Gen, lars at the shelter, mentions of animal abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-01 10:51:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18334046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shocked_into_shame/pseuds/shocked_into_shame
Summary: Lars wasn't always Billy's dog, nor was he always loved.A little background into Lars and the moment Billy adopted him.





	Adoption

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this for me, myself, and i
> 
> enjoy
> 
> it's not graphic or anything but it is pretty much stated that Lars was abused so if even a brief mention of that is going to trigger you turn back now

Growing up, Annie had always wanted to work at the Hawkins shelter. She’s always had these dreams of it being such a fulfilling, heartwarming job, and, for the most part, it is. She gets to see dogs and cats meet awesome people who will love them forever. But sometimes, there are animals that don’t get that, who have lives and histories that are too sad for her to fathom. 

 

Bear is one of them. Bear is the fifth name in a long list of names given to the last dog in the row of the kennel. He has been named all sorts of things by owners. His first, who had dumped him at the shelter doors, had just called him “Mutt”. Annie doesn’t exactly know what that first owner did to him, but when Bear came through their doors he was covered with mange and fleas and scars, and his paws were scabbed and bloody. Whatever the dog had gone through, however, he was loving, and never distrusted anyone. 

 

And he’s certainly a looker. Majestic, soft, and white, all for some gray on his head and neck, Bear is exactly 91 pounds of pure love and fluff. The thing that warms Annie’s heart the most is his one floppy ear. The others at the shelter think he’s purebred husky, but Annie guesses that he’s probably mixed with another bigger breed, and possibly a lab or a German shepherd. 

 

Annie really does like him, and the first time he got adopted, she was over the moon. He was going to go to a family with two kids and a big yard, and was going to get all the love and treats he deserved. 

 

And then the dad was dragging Bear - who they had named Hercules, of all things - back into the shelter doors. “This dog is too big,” he insisted. “My wife can barely even walk him. We can’t take him.” 

 

Bear had whimpered in his kennel the entire night. 

 

Then he got adopted again (and called Sam). And again (this time, he was named Alpine). And each time, the owners brought him back, saying that he had  _ too much hair _ or was  _ too talkative _ or  _ too wild _ or  _ too strong _ . It broke Annie’s heart each and every time that Bear came back into the shelter. 

 

But he never stopped wagging his tail, or howling for treats. He really was a good boy. She’s held out hope for him finding someone to spend the rest of his life with. 

 

She sits at the front desk, melting in the early summer air. Donations don’t provide enough for air conditioning, not by a longshot, and she feels grateful for chopping all of her hair off just in time. And then in strides a tan, handsome young man, who she recognizes. She squints at him, pensive, and then realizes he’s a lifeguard at the local pool she brings her son from time to time. 

 

“Hi, I’m Annie,” she says cheerfully. “Are you looking to adopt a pet today?”

 

“Uh,” the sandy haired boy starts, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “I’m not sure. I think I want to get a dog. Maybe not today? But I’d like to see. I’m Billy, by the way.” He flashes her a charming smile. She resists every urge to roll her eyes at his arrogance. 

 

“Okay, Billy,” she says, stepping out from behind her desk. “I can take you down to the kennel and show you the dogs.” 

 

The curly haired boy smiles and follows her, practically strutting at he walks, aviator sunglasses perched at the top of his head. Jeez, this guy must get all the girls, especially in a town like Hawkins, where the boys don’t usually look quite like  _ this _ . 

 

She takes him down the row of dog kennels and lets him look at every one. He smiles and crouches down to be at eye level with almost every dog, and it warms her heart. She’s admittedly a bit surprised, didn’t quite expect this guy to be such a softie. And then they get to the end of the line, and Billy’s eyes stop on the last kennel. Bear is curled up sleeping. 

 

“Who’s this?” he asks, pointing to the giant dog.

 

“Bear,” she laughs. 

 

Billy frowns, apparently not caring for the name. “Hi, boy,” he says, and Bear opens his eyes instantly. He perks up and his tail wags furiously, and he runs forward, jumping up against the chainlink of his cage. “Woah,” Billy laughs, and then turns to Annie, eyes bright. “Can I pet him?” he asks, and Annie nods before setting them up in their meet and greet room. 

 

She feels tears come to her eyes as she watches Bear and this guy, who she had always perceived to be overly stoic, on just this side of self-centered, interact like they’ve known each other forever. “God, I wish I could take you,” he mutters to the dog, just barely loud enough for her to hear. “But you might not like my apartment.”

 

“I think he’d like it anywhere,” she interjects, and he looks up at her. “He’s been here for a year. A few people have tried to take him and then brought him back. He’s a good dog. He can just be a handful.” 

 

“Are you a handful?” he coos, petting Bear’s head. Bear lets out a howl in reply, and Billy laughs, surprised. “How the hell could anyone give you up? You’re beautiful.” 

 

“His first owners didn’t treat him well,” she explains, crossing her arms and watching them continue to play. “He came in really banged up. But we fixed him. And, like I said, he’s a happy dog. A good dog, not a mean bone in his body. Thankfully we are a no-kill shelter, one of the only ones in this area. I shudder to think what would have happened if his first owner took him somewhere else.” 

 

“You’ve been through a lot too, huh, buddy?” Billy questions. Annie tries not to wince at the word  _ too _ . Bear leans forward, his whole body squirming excitedly, and gives Billy’s strong face a kiss. 

 

He laughs and leans back, rubbing at his eyes. Maybe Annie is imagining things. There’s no way  _ this guy _ is crying in her shelter right now. But then, sure enough, he turns toward her, and his cheeks are blotchy, tears swimming in his bright blue eyes. “I’ll take him,” he declares decisively, his eyebrows in a firm line, and that’s  _ that _ . 

  
  



End file.
